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Robert Reich about Donald Trump

We must not sit by idly and tolerate the ugly hatred being fueled by Donald Trump. During a Trump rally last night in Rock Hill, South Carolina, a Muslim-Americ…an woman named Rose Hamid, simply stood up in silent protest (she’s in the center of the photo below, wearing a turquoise hijab) at a point in his speech when Trump said Syrian refugees fleeing the war in Syria were affiliated with ISIS. Despite her silence, Trump supporters around her began chanting Trump’s name and pointing to her along with the man alongside her who also stood up — as Trump campaign staff had instructed the audience to do in the event of a protest — and booed them, shouting at them to “get out.” One Trump supporter shouted “you have a bomb, you have a bomb.” Police and Trump campaign officials then escorted the two out. They also escorted out two others who were wearing stars reminiscent of those worn by Jews during the Holocaust. The disruption caused Trump to say “there is hatred against us that is unbelievable. It’s their hatred, it’s not our hatred.”

I urge everyone reading this post to attend the next Trump rally near you. Wear a hijab or a Star of David, and stand up in silent protest. We are all American Muslims. We are all Jewish Americans. We are all Mexican-Americans. We are all African-Americans. All of us have the right in this free country to stand up in silent protest against the closest we’ve come in this country to a fascist candidate for president, fueling hatred and spouting lies, who is now leading in the Republican polls.

What do you think?

Do we really think that Trump is electable in the United States? He may win the nomination by the GOP. Power to them!

But I don’t see how he can win the general election. Think about it:

He alienated and often made enemies out of:

Many women

Hispanics, lumping them all together as Mexicans

Gays

Legal immigrants (like me)

Jews

Muslims

Blacks

Many intellectuals

Many scientists

Many young people

Who is left? Ultra-evangelical Christians, white supremacists, various white splinter groups. Sorry, they don’t add up to 50% of the country.

4 Responses

“Trump cannot get elected.” If it weren’t for the widespread district gerrymandering, voter suppression and rigged ballot boxes (and W getting elected fraudulently, twice) I would happily agree with you. But then I’m a Swede and expect the worst. Our end-of-days myth goes like this: The forces of good versus evil stage one last mother-of-a-battle: evil wins.

Those are good arguments. I often wonder what the world would be like if Gore had just won his home state. Surely we would not have invaded Iraq, and S. Hussein would be keeping the balance of power. Hillary would have done her 8 years after Gore, and Obama would just now be running.

You are probably correct, Norbert. Trump PROBABLY can’t BUY his way to getting 50% of the vote—PROBABLY–!!

Remember though, that because of your voluntary voting system, a candidate doesn’t NEED to convince “half the country”. S//he only needs to convince half of those who bother to turn up at a polling station on election day–!!

Trump’s supporters may be MAD—but they are “MOTIVATED-MAD”—!!!–& they DO turn up for rallies. Presumably they’ll also turn up to vote–!!!

In the meantime, Trump’s “minions” (& indeed the very well-funded Trump campaign organisation) are encouraging an EXTREME UGLINESS within this electoral environment. How long will it be before someone is seriously hurt-?
Ought people from the various minority groups you listed, be humiliated//ostracised & “put upon”–??

If the answer to that latter question is in the negative, there’s action needed—NOW–!!
That very brave Muslim woman who courageously “stood up” (both literally AND figuratively–!!) has led the way. THIS is a classic example of a favorite meme//trope (??) which you have mentioned on several occasions.
Let me put it this way—-“first they came for the Muslims”——!!

Here (in Australia) in recent years, we have witnessed a pretty rare phenomenum in our society—violent//hate-filled “political” demonstrations.
These episodes have been very small in numbers, but are concerning nevertheless–!!
These people are disgruntled “fringe-dwellers” (& some repugnant violent types who simply go looking for folk to hit–!!)—who are easily persuaded that their less than ideal “lot” in life, is the fault of migrants//Muslims//etc (read—any nominated minority–!!)

This is EXACTLY the “territory” which Trump uses—!!! The man is whipping up hatred of “the other”—he is DANGEROUS–!!! Please remember the wisdom in the sentiment that—-“For evil to triumph, all that is necessary, is for good men (people–!!) to do nothing.”
Stand up, America–!!!
You are better than this—!!!!